Petunia plant named ‘Duepepneo’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Duepepneo’, characterized by its mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; purple violet and white bi-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEPEPNEO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duepepneo’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous Petunia plants with numerous unique and attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2010 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T09-8688-002, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T09-0214-002, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duepepneo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duepepneo’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Mounding and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Purple violet and white bi-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have blue-veined flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have pink and white bi-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the Petunia×hybrida ‘Cascadia Bicolor Cabernet’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Cascadia Bicolor Cabernet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia had larger leaves than plants of         ‘Cascadia Bicolor Cabernet’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Cascadia Bicolor Cabernet’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Cascadia Bicolor Cabernet’         differed slightly in flower color and color pattern.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had longer peduncles than plants of         ‘Cascadia Bicolor Cabernet’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duepepneo’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Duepepneo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T09-8688-002, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number T09-0214-002, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Mounding and outwardly spreading             plant habit; freely branching habit with about eight to ten             lateral branches developing after pinching; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 24.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 34 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 23.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong.         -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A to 144B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; simple.         -   Length.—About 3.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; leathery.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 144A; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,             close to 144B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.2 mm. Diameter: About 2.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144D. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually             about four open flowers and flower buds per lateral branch             and about 25 to 30 flowers developing per plant; flowers             face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring and summer in Germany; early flowering habit,             plants typically beginning flowering about nine weeks after             planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to             seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3.4 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 3.2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 5.6 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 144C.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from             throat): About 1.7 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.1 cm. Petal             shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Obtuse. Petal margin:             Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Rippled,             glabrous. Throat texture: Rippled, glabrous. Tube texture:             Rippled, pubescent. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper             surface: Close to 78A and 155A. Petal lobe, when opening,             lower surface: Close to 78B. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 80A and 155A; towards the throat, close to             151C; venation, close to 81A and 153B; color becoming closer             to 83A with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 81B; venation, close to 79A and 144A.             Flower throat: Close to 79A; venation, close to 202A. Flower             tube: Close to 200B; venation, close to 202A and 144A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused at the base forming a             star-shaped calyx. Sepal length: About 1.7 cm. Sepal width:             About 4.1 mm. Sepal shape: Oblong. Sepal apex: Rounded.             Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth. Color: Close             to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.7 mm. Filament color: Close to             144D. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther             color: Close to 188A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 188A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.9 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style             color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 144A. Ovary color: Close to 145B. Seeds and fruits:             Seed and fruit development have not been observed on plants             of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Duepepneo’ as illustrated and described. 